1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to roof fixing apparatus, and more particularly, to a roof fixing apparatus for fixing a retractable roof provided on a convertible automotive vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a convertible automotive vehicle is provided with a retractable roof to cover the interior of the vehicle, so as to provide protection against cold weather and rain. Typically, such a retractable roof is mounted at a base to a rear part of the body of the vehicle, with a front end of the roof moved to extend and to retract the roof. If left exposed when not in use, however, the roof not only impedes the rear view of the operator of the vehicle but is also unsightly, susceptible to dust and dirt, and may experience color fading.
As a result, the retractable roof is stored within a rear portion of the body of the vehicle when not in use and covered by a storage cover. To be used, the cover is lifted and the roof is extended.
Accordingly, after the retractable roof is separated from the vehicle and released from storage, it is desirable to close the storage cover, set the roof on top of the cover and then fix the base of the roof to the vehicle body by a lock device.
As automotive vehicle lock devices, there is known a device in which a striker is mounted to a door or the body of the vehicle while a latch is mounted oppositely, so that when the door contacts the body the impact of the contact rotates the latch, causing the latch to engage the striker and thus secure the door. Such an arrangement is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 12-27511 and 2001-193328.
In the conventional lock device described above, a length from a point at which the striker contacts the latch to a point at which the latch fully engages the striker and the door is closed coincides with a distance through which a notch that engages the striker moves with the rotation of the latch, and is no more than approximately 5-7 mm.
In the case of a door lock device that fixes the door in a state in which a hard, heavy door contacts an edge part of an opening in the vehicle body, such distance as described above are sufficient. However, when fixing a retractable roof to the vehicle body, such minimal distances create a risk that vibration during operation of the vehicle might open a gap between the roof and the body.